1970 UK Orig RENAISSANCE ILLUSION Prog Psych K RELF

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RARE BRITISH ORIGINAL 1970 "HELP" RECORDS PROGRESSIVE COLLECTIBLE                     

            RENAISSANCE

              ILLUSION

\                                                          UK - HELP Records - Help 27

Original 1970 UK Original -- the 2nd album by the early Progressive band led by (Yardbirds singer) Keith Relf, although Relf would leave the line-up after this album, along with his sister (singer) Jane Relf and ex-Yardbirds drummer Jim McCarty ...even so, "ILLUSION" is a highly respected and top collected album of noted adventure and creativity, as follows:

The first song is a fine psychedelic pop ballad named Love Goes On, with good keyboard and bass plus mellow singing lots of times the title of the song. There is another part with some lyrics sung very well by Jane Relf. The song is fine and probably intended as a single, but nothing near the real beauty of the album.

Golden Thread is an excellent tune with superb piano and guitar intro. The song then changes and it has great piano riff and beautiful vocalizations by Jane and then the rest of the band in a kind of chorus. Then there are verses sung by Keith Relf with a very good voice, much better than his singing in their debut album. The song has another instrumental section led by piano which is very beautiful.

The next song is another psychedelic ballad, even better than Love Goes On. Love is All has excellent piano and acoustic guitar riff and singing by Keith and good chorus of him and his sister, that provides vocal harmonies during the verses. The very slow acid guitar melody is good also.

Mr. Pine is a song with a completely different line-up, including Mike Dunford composing and playing guitar and Terry Crowe singing (he played together with Dunford in a band prior to their going to Renaissance, named Nashville Teens), more symphonic, with nice piano, harpsichord and acoustic guitar and singing by Crowe and Jane in the first part, with a folk medieval feel. The second part is an excellent instrumental interlude with superb guitar and organ parts in a psychedelic and symphonic prog way. The music alternates between these styles.

Face of Yesterday is another piano-led song with great guitar melodies together with the piano, excellent bass and superb singing by Jane Relf, with a different tone, but always superb, making this song the best of the album. The piano melodies are excellent and the combination of then with the bass and the vocal melodies is out of this world.

Past Orbits of Dust is a progressive jamming with many improvisations. This song has complex rhythms, with great moving bass and drums. There is some singing by the band and then by Jane (which is always very good). The song has an extensive instrumental jamming with the piano, good guitar, bass, drums and percussion with many variations and the singing eventually comes again after a long time and then there is another long instrumental part. The bass is impressive (tone and melody).

1. Love Goes On (2:51)
2. Golden Thread (8:15)
3. Love Is All (3:40)
4. Mr. Pine (7:00)
5. Face Of Yesterday (6:06)
6. Past Orbits Of Dust (14:39)

CONDITION: The cover is fragile being early UK production, but well cared for "EX" (excellent) with import sticker on front cover, otherwise solid seams, sharp colors, keeper level...

The vinyl on the rare UK 'Help' label is all clean, both sides, M- 

      A cool addition to anyone's music library!

SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for "head" people...

EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING

All imperfections are noted both cover & record